There are a number of types of such braces. For example, one type comprises a relatively stiff collar worn round the neck, which extends between the shoulders and the jawbone and chin of the wearer. While such collars do give a certain amount of support, they do not provide for adjustment to accommodate varying lengths of different people's necks. Thus, on some they may be relatively comfortable, while on others they can cause considerable discomfort. For example, in the case of an individual with a relatively short neck, such a collar may cause the chin to be retained at a totally incorrect angle. Further, for an individual with a relatively long neck, the chin may also be supported at the wrong angle. A further problem with such collars is that they are clearly visible for all to see, and, in general, are relatively unsightly. Furthermore, because they are worn completely around the neck, there is very little circulation of air between the collar and the neck. Accordingly, they tend to induce perspiration in the neck area which further leads to discomfort. Various attempts have been made to overcome the problems of such collars. Examples of such attempts are given in the following U.S. Pat. specifications, namely, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,724,452, 3,945,376, 4,383,523 and 4,628,913. In general, these cervical braces comprise a harness for mounting on the torso of the body, and a chin support member for supporting the chin of the wearer. The chin support member is mounted on a support bar which is adjustable upwardly and downwardly to accommodate wearers with different lengths of neck. However, while these devices partly overcome the problems of stiff collars in that at least the height at which the wearer's chin is supported can be adjusted, nonetheless, they do not provide for the different positions which individuals chins may take up, in other words, the position of a wearer's chin front to back. Accordingly, while the chin supports may be adjusted to accommodate different heights of chins, this does not ensure that the chin support will accurately or correctly engage the wearer's chin. For example, if a wearer has a chin which projects more than normally, or a wearer has a chin which projects less than normally, then the chin support will not adequately support the wearer's chin.
Furthermore, while these devices assist in supporting a patient's chin, they do not provide any other support besides a support for the wearer's occiput.
There is therefore a need for cervical brace which overcomes the problems of known cervical braces. The present invention is directed towards providing such a cervical brace.